Movie review: ‘Mary Queen of Scots’ a dull retelling of history

Wednesday

Dec 12, 2018 at 1:01 AM

“How cruel men are.” Or so says Queen Elizabeth I in the period drama “Mary Queen of Scots.” Yes, even in 16th-century England, it’s boys drool, girls rule.

Starring a pair of 2018 Oscar nominees in Margot Robbie (“I, Tonya”) and Saoirse Ronan (“Lady Bird”), the movie pits Robbie’s raven-haired, alabaster-skinned Elizabeth against her rival monarch and first cousin, Ronan’s Mary Stuart, in a scrum for the English crown. It’s a real game of thrones, full of palace intrigue and backstabbing. Elizabeth saw Mary as a threat, put her under house arrest and ultimately (spoiler alert) beheaded her. It makes for great drama in theory, but “Mary Queen of Scots” is a dull retelling of the history, under the heavy-handed direction of London stage veteran Josie Rourke. What transpires is woke, for sure, but not nearly as delicious as the similarly themed royal yarn, “The Favourite.”

The movie, written by Beau Willimon (“House of Cards”), is set in the 1560s, but echos modern themes of gender and politics. The cousins were political and religious polar opposites (Elizabeth was Protestant and Mary a Catholic). Both, however, shared common ground: They were surrounded by terrible men who turned the two queens into political pawns. Yup, women have been fighting for dignity and power for hundreds of years.

Their men are characterized as angry about “serving at the whims of women.” James McArdle is Mary’s half-brother who accuses her of being a “traitor and whore.” Jack Lowden (“Dunkirk”) plays her second husband. At a gathering resembling a Trump rally, David Tennant (“Doctor Who”) a Protestant leader, tells the gathering that a woman with a crown is a “scourge.” Martin Compston (TV’s “Victoria”) is Mary’s sworn protector with an agenda of his own. In Elizabeth’s court, Guy Pearce is the queen’s main advisor and Joe Alwyn (“The Favourite”) is her “special friend.” Gemma Chan has little to do, but she stands out as one of Elizabeth’s trusted ladies.

The story of Mary and Elizabeth is ripe for our current times but no matter how determined the filmmakers are, they never deliver on their promise not to make this just another epic catfight. It was a big chess match between two sovereigns whose words said they were not jealous or petty and wanted to be sisters, but whose actions suggested otherwise. The childless Elizabeth was envious of Mary’s beauty, youth and baby. The young Mary was hungry for the other’s power and respect and to be named Elizabeth’s successor. Both are caught in a web of betrayals.

You will find yourself pulling for either Team Mary or Team Elizabeth because polarization is what the film asks. The scenes flit between the two castles with only one face-to-face interaction between the two, which is too bad because the movie is stronger when Ronan and Robbie share the screen. Whatever side you land on, it’s unavoidable to think of how much different history would have been if these women were friends instead of foes.

Dana Barbuto may be reached at dbarbuto@patriotledger.com or follow her on Twitter @dbarbuto_Ledger.